The Professor
I’m the Professor. At long last, on October 12, Hytale’s massive update “Chapter 1” arrives!
I’ve combined what was in the official “biggest blog post in Hytale history” from July (20+ videos and 40+ images!) with what KeniPoyo actually played in the early-access update to sum up everything you can do in Chapter 1. If you’re wondering “What’s changing?” or “What should I do first?”, this article is all you need.
⚠ Note: Much of the official blog content is “work in progress” and may change before release. This article is based on the official announcement and the early-access update.
TL;DR: Chapter 1 comes down to these 3 things
- The Goblin world: Rifts (Goblin Breaches) open from time to time, leading to a Goblin world whose layout changes every visit
- Rune magic: You can finally use magic! Craft “runes” from materials earned by defeating bosses, then equip them
- Goblin gadgets: Rocket Boots, the Hookshot, gliders and more make getting around a blast
Start with the video overview
KeniPoyo covers the whole official blog post in a single video (in Japanese). If reading all this text is a chore, start here.
1. It all starts at the Forgotten Temple
Your Chapter 1 adventure begins at the Forgotten Temple. Until now there was hardly any reason to go there, but from now on it becomes your base for progressing through Chapters. Apparently the temple will change as more Chapters are added.
At the temple you’ll find the 
Runebinder’s Lattice, a statue for equipping magic, and the Goblins’ Goblin Lab. Repair the generator next to the lab (the Goblin Power Generator) with 
Scraps dropped by Goblins, and you’ll be able to go inside.
2. Goblin Breaches (rifts)
The star of Chapter 1 is the Goblin Breach. Every so often, a rift (portal) leading to the Goblin world opens somewhere in the world. Open your map to see where it is.
Inside is a fragment of Orbis taken over by Goblins. The terrain is regenerated every time you enter, so you may run into things you’ve never seen before. The longer you stay, the stronger the power of the Void grows, until you’re finally thrown back to the normal world.
Tips for spawning a rift (from KeniPoyo’s playthrough)
- First, interact with the generator at the temple and you’ll get the message “Search for the disturbance beyond the temple.” That’s your starting signal
- Leave the temple and head to open ground on the surface. You’ll see “Breach in progress” and a rift will appear nearby. It won’t spawn inside your base or underground
- If it doesn’t appear, just keep walking straight across open terrain
- A rift stays open for 10 minutes, and the next one takes 30 minutes to appear. In other words, you get a chance roughly every 40 minutes
What happens inside
- A time limit appears in the top right. When it hits 0, you’re forcibly sent back
- About 2 minutes in, the screen turns purple-ish and Void enemies start pouring in
- If you die inside, you respawn inside — but you still drop your items as usual, so be careful
According to the devs, the Goblin world also has events: prey you chase down and trap, Void assassins that hunt players, treasure chests that unleash enemies when opened, puzzles that unlock sealed-off areas and more.
3. The Goblin Slum and the boss “Feastmaster” (aka the Fat Goblin)
Your target in the Goblin world is the Goblin Slum, a huge structure standing inside a giant cavern — it’s very hard to miss. It’s not far from the center of the map, but the cave leading there is tricky to find, so it takes some effort the first time.
- Inside the building, follow the arrows down underground
- Outside the Fat Goblin’s room you’ll meet a
Goblin Burner. It’s a nasty Goblin that explodes when defeated, damaging you too - Beyond it waits the boss, the
Goblin Feastmaster (the Fat Goblin). The arena is either a regular room or a colosseum with spectator stands (random each time) - At around 60% HP, it calls for backup. Get distracted by the small fry and you’ll take heavy damage
Defeating it drops 
Runestone Shards — 2 guaranteed. These are the materials for rune magic. Shards can also drop from Goblin Burners, Void enemies, and the boss beneath the skeleton graveyard.
KeniPoyo cleared it in just over 10 minutes, but if you’re not used to it, you may run out of time. You can extend your stay by repairing the Goblin Breach Console in the lab.
4. The Goblin Lab
…Hmph, not a bad lab. But it’s far too messy! My laboratory is much tidier, I’ll have you know. …Probably.
Collect Scraps and repair the generator to get inside the lab. Inside are Goblin workers and the 
Makinomagistra. According to her Compendium entry, she’s the first Goblin to escape Orbis using her own invention. And she’s a female scientist, no less!
The lab’s workbench lets you craft Goblin gadgets, crystals that open dungeon portals, furniture, and runes. A spell rune takes Runestone Shards x2 (a support rune takes just 1), so beating the Fat Goblin just once means you can use a spell right away.
5. Magic at last! Rune magic
The most exciting part of Chapter 1 is runes. There are two kinds:
- Spell runes: Determine which spell you can cast, like Fireball or Ground Slam
- Support runes: Change how a spell works or behaves (splitting projectiles, lower mana cost, etc.). Note that they can’t be used on their own
Runes are equipped at the temple statue, the Runebinder’s Lattice. Your spells go on the E and R keys, and you can cast them while holding a weapon. Mana regenerates on its own over time, so cast away!
According to the devs, Chapter 1 starts with around 6 spell runes and about as many support runes. Planned for the future: elemental combos like “soak enemies with water, then shock them with lightning,” team-up moves with friends, and a “Rune Forge” for upgrading and collecting runes.
To see which combos are strongest, check out my fully calculated Spell Rune × Support Rune Tier Ranking. Detailed data for every rune is in the Rune Compendium.
6. Goblin gadgets
Goblins love to invent, and now their junky inventions are in your hands! They all look like scrap, but above all they’re fun.
Rocket Boots: Zoom through the air
Hookshot: Latch on and pull yourself across in an instant
Scrap Glider: Glide down from high places
Scrap Drill: Grind your way through blocks
Spyglass: See far into the distance
As a bonus — though it has nothing to do with Goblins — the 
Wooden Boat is also coming. It’s still a simple boat; a proper ship system is further down the road.
7. New dungeons and boss fights
The devs have teased Hytale’s first handcrafted dungeons and multi-phase boss fights. The system that drives boss phases, enemy waves and arena changes together (the Encounter Manager) will reportedly be available to modders too.
KeniPoyo breaks down the new dungeons and Goblin invasions found in the early-access update in full detail here.
8. Everything else that’s new
- Goblin faction: Goblins with all sorts of roles and personalities. There are tougher “Elites,” and even friendly Goblins who run shops
- Carrying: You’ll be able to pick up and carry chests, explosive barrels and more
- Transparent blocks: Stained glass and window glass become craftable
- New UI: Complete objectives on the Chapter screen to earn cosmetic rewards
- Cosmetics: Lots of new cosmetic items, including Goblin cosmetics for completing Chapter 1
- Minigames: 14 60–120 second minigames to play with friends (on a separate schedule)
- Moving platforms: You can now stay standing on things that move or rotate
- Mod browser: Find and install mods right in the game. No paid mods
- New world tech: The world loads in cube-shaped chunks, so very tall and very deep worlds will be possible in the future
- WorldGen V2: New terrain generation for caves, dungeons, villages, rivers, roads and more
- Creatures: Animals get new looks and movement. Birds fly in flocks, and foxes follow you around
- Machinima: A video tool for recording and editing your gameplay
- Spectator mode & Hardcore: Hardcore, where death is the end. After dying, you can spectate and watch over your friends
- Sound-emitting blocks: Music plays from blocks, getting quieter as you move away and sounding muffled through walls
Coming in Chapter 2
A crafting overhaul and companions who help out at your base are planned for Chapter 2. Apparently there will be fewer workbenches, and tasks like chopping wood and smithing metal will happen out in the world itself.
The Professor’s summary
- Chapter 1 releases on October 12
- First, gear up in iron and copper and head to the Forgotten Temple
- Spawn a Goblin Breach on open ground and defeat the Feastmaster (the Fat Goblin) in the Goblin Slum
- Use the 2 Runestone Shards you get to craft a rune at the lab
- Equip the rune at the statue and you can use magic!
Once it’s out, KeniPoyo and I will dig into everything. New items and mobs will be added to the Item Compendium and Mob Compendium too, so stay tuned!
